Smart cards are known devices typically comprising a plastic card approximately the size and shape of a credit card, in which a microprocessor and associated memory are embedded, and which includes a mechanism for making connection to a smart card reader which has a capability to read and write data to the smart card. Because a smart card includes a microprocessor, access to data stored on the smart card may be controlled and the smart card may be used as a store of value and store funds equivalent data. The smart card stores a number representative of a credit balance. To add to this credit balance, the user of the smart card makes payment to a second party and provides the second party with information identifying the smart card, such as a personal identification number (PIN) an account number and possibly other relevant information. The second party then generates an authorization signal, which typically is a coded number unique to a particular smart card, which is recognized by the microprocessor embedded in the smart card as authorizing the increase of the funds equivalent data representing the user's balance in the memory of the smart card. By keeping the encryption keys used by the smart card secret, the user of the card is prevented from fraudulently altering the balance.
When the smart card user wishes to spend some of the balance represented in the smart card, he or she merely places the smart card in a smart card reader, which is a secure device having the capability to communicate with the microprocessor embedded in the smart card, and draws down the represented balance by reducing the amount represented by the funds equivalent data stored in the smart card memory. If the balance is being spent with a third party, the smart card reader will include a capability to increment a similar balance for the third party by the amount drawn from the smart card users balance. If the balance is spent with the party who charged the card, the balance in the users smart card balance need only be reduced. More generally, smart cards have been envisioned as replacing cash with funds equivalent data being transferred from one card to another in much the same way as electronic funds transfers now take place between financial institutions.
Generally, such use of smart cards is well known and need not be explained in further detail for an understanding of the subject invention.
For more than a year, Pitney Bowes Inc., the assignee of the present application, has operated a Convenience Mailing Center at its Technical Center in Shelton, Conn. The Convenience Mailing Center (sometimes hereinafter referred to as a station or kiosk) includes a substantially conventional postage meter, which is used by employees at the Technical Center, to frank mail pieces with the appropriate postage. The employee/user deposits funds in the kiosk, in a manner which will be described more fully below, and enters the desired amount of postage. The kiosk controller then transfers funds equivalent data equal to the desired amount of postage to the postage meter in a conventional manner and the postage meter prints the desired amount on the mail piece. Recharging, i.e. transfer of funds equivalent data, of postage meters and the operation of postage meters to frank mail pieces are well known and need not be discussed further here for an understanding of the subject invention.
To avoid the need for making change and/or handling small amounts of cash, the Convenience Mail Center operates in the manner described above to draw down a users balance stored in a smart card and transfer the equivalent amount of funds equivalent data to the postage meter. To allow users to refill or recharge the smart cards, the station also includes a bill acceptor which will accept five dollar bills and transfer funds equivalent data in five dollar increments to users' smart cards. As a result, the station accumulates, over a period of time, substantial quantities of cash which must be picked up and accounted for, and which presents a temptation to thieves and dishonest employees.
Thus, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a station for providing postal franking services, or for providing other items of value, but which does not accept cash.